FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Freshman Meg Donahue (Wyomissing, Pa./Berks Catholic) scored two goals while rookie goalkeeper Christen Piersanti (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) and the defensive unit posted its second shutout of the season to lead the Monmouth University field hockey team to a 2-0 win at Sacred Heart, Sunday afternoon. The Hawks, who dominated the second half by outshooting the Pioneers 14-3 while also earning a 14-3 advantage in penalty corner opportunities, picked up their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory and improve to 8-7 overall, while Sacred Heart falls to 7-7 (1-1 MAAC) with the loss.

"It's great for us to earn our first league win," commented head coach Carli Figlio. "Our second half was something to be proud of and build off of. We are looking forward to getting back to our surface and putting in a strong week of practice to prepare for a good Quinnipiac team."

Monmouth's defense kept the Pioneers off the board in the first despite a flurry of offensive opportunities including a penalty stroke in the 10th minute. Sacred Heart's Sarah Bergman lined up the stroke opportunity and fired it high off the crossbar which kept the game scoreless.

Monmouth broke the ice with two minutes left in the half when a clear from the defensive end found Donahue who carried the ball into the circle. The rookie had the ball knocked away, but it found senior Trish O'Dwyer (Dublin, Ireland/ Loreto Beaufort) who dribbled around Mary Alterpeter who came out of her cage to challenge. O'Dwyer then sent a feed back towards the middle where Donahue hammered in her seventh goal of the year into the empty cage to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead heading into the break.

Nine minutes into the second frame, freshman Maartje Wicherink (Hilversum, Netherlands/Gemeetelijk Gymnasium Hilversum) forced a turnover deep in the offensive zone and dished to Amanda Schoenfeld (West Sayville, N.Y./Connetquot) outside the circle. The senior pivoted and sent a pass to the middle of the circle to O'Dwyer where she chipped it pasted Altepeter to Donahue who batted it in for her first career multi-goal game.

O'Dwyer, who attempted a team-high eight shots, picked up her eighth and ninth helpers of the season to increase her program assist record to 29.

Piersanti turned away the only two shots on target for her second career clean sheet. Altepeter made 10 saves, eight of which coming in the second half, in the losing effort.

For the game, the Hawks outshot the Pioneers 20-8, and held a 17-8 advantage in penalty corner opportunities. The Pioneers' three second half corner chances came in the final two minutes of regulation.

Monmouth returns to the road for the final time this season when it travels to Hamden, Conn. next Sunday, October 26, for a 1 p.m. clash with Quinnipiac, last year's MAAC Tournament Champions.

-@MonmouthFH-